Izumi
by Kareyu
Summary: A regular business meeting of the Rekai Tantei is interrupted by a strange woman . . .Now the team must protect her daughter, a rare water siren that is the last of its kind. But what happens when Hiei becomes too attached?
1. An Unfinished Meeting

~Okay! I brought ya'll another fic! Please read and review! Oh, and by the way, the weird language ya'll are fixin' to read is actually Ancient Egyptian, I got it from my sister's book. Enjoy!  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho, but I do own 2 other characters in this story, so please don't take them!  
  
In Spirit world, at Koenma's palace/office:  
  
Kuwabara quickly ran through the corridor, late yet again to another imperative meeting. When he arrived (knocking out a few innocent ogres) he found his friends spread out over Konema's office chatting diligently with one another. Now all were there: Yusuke, Kurama, Hiei, Yukina, Keiko, Shizuru, Botan, and Kuwabara himself.  
  
"Hn, it's about time you graced us with your presence." A deep voice said from the corner. Kuwabara whirled around to face his accuser.  
  
"Shut-up small-fry! I made it, didn't I?"  
  
"That depends on if you count your brain, which is never fully there anyway." The voice said flatly. The group had just stopped talking long enough to hear Hiei's comment. All started laughing, or trying to hold back laughter, at the little fire koorime's insult.  
  
"Hiei, behave yourself!" Botan scolded between giggles.  
  
Koenma wiped tears from his eyes as he replied, "All right, people, let's get this meeting underway . . ."  
  
"Yeah, yeah, I got better thing ta do then hang out here." Yusuke yawned as he voiced his opinion. However, no one could tell that their words could be heard from a foreign visitor . . .  
  
Lassitude and devastation dulled her senses, except the one sense, the one will that told her she must carry on. Her tired legs were even now more burdened by her drenched tunic. Small droplets of water dripped off her pointed ears to the marble floor beneath her, mixing with salty tears. Yet, she managed to open the heavy wooden doors, one hand tightly clutching the shivering child on her hip.  
  
The Rekai Tantei's meeting was prematurely cut-short by an exotic woman bursting through the doorway. She was a stunning sight. Her sapphire hair grew down to her knees, shining with brilliancy that made even Botan turn green in envy. She was elegantly decorated with a strange mixture of jewels and shells, blessing her ears, wrists, and ankles. Sun browned skin, wrapped in a flowing white dress, complemented her curvaceous figure, although completely saturated with water. Enchanting, sienna eyes, tainted with exhaustion and doubt, pierced through blue bangs.  
  
"Yam . . .sedjem . . ."  
  
She attempted to speak in her native tongue. The group was dumb-founded, save for Kurama, who began translating.  
  
"She . . .she wants us to listen . . ."  
  
Tears began to fill up in her clouded eyes, voice shaking with fear and sorrowful memories.  
  
"Khoo-oo . . .seseh mer mehret," she whispered between sobs, "petekh ah . . ."  
  
"An evil presence destroyed her friends and family, overthrowing their palace." Kurama finished his sentence with a deep frown. It was if all the others were in a trance, unable to break the spell she had on them. Now tears were flowing freely down her flawless face, her gaze resting on a small form that was hidden in the folds of her dress.  
  
"Saoo . . .Izumi . . ."  
  
Kurama's eyes widened.  
  
"She wants us to protect something, although I can not comprehend what. Izumi?"  
  
"Mout djedet en khered . . ."  
  
His eyebrows shot up in shock at her statement. "She is now talking to . . .to her. . ."  
  
She gently un-tucked the small body, revealing a daughter just a beautiful and captivating as her mother. This action received multiple gasps from the observers.  
  
"Nekhet . . .inek wenen im." With this she touched the little girls heart with smooth fingers, choking back tears. Kurama's features softened instantly.  
  
"She told the girl to be strong, that she was there inside her heart . . ." The poor child began to whimper slightly. Her mother bent down, smiling softly. She unlatched a pearl necklace that hang around her neck and pressed it in the girls hand, along with a small piece of paper. Tenderly, she kissed her daughters forehead.  
  
"Izumi . . ." was barely audible.  
  
Before another word could be said, she had vanished. The awestricken group was left with many, many questions . . . and a wailing orphan. 


	2. Powpa

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho, just Izumi and her ma-ma! ^_^  
  
Nothing could stop the small child's steady stream of tears, despite Yukina, Keiko, Botan, and Shizure's attempts to calm her.  
  
"Ma-moot! Ma-moot!"  
  
"What is she saying, Kurama?" Keiko asked, wiping her own tears away. Kurama looked up from the paper that a few moments ago was grasped in the girls hands.  
  
"She's calling for her mother." Sadly, he looked back down at the paper, deciphering the incantations printed on it.  
  
"Aw man! This sucks!" Yusuke said as he paced the room. Kuwabara was trying his best not to cry along with her.  
  
"Y-Yeah, it does." He watched as the girls tried to soothe her weeping, stroking her hair and softly speaking words of comfort.  
  
"Poor thing. She must be around 2 years old." Shizuru commented.  
  
Kurama stood up. "That's what the note states.  
  
"What else does it say?" Koenma said with a heavy sigh. Kurama leaned against a wall, his emerald orbs dropping to the floor.  
  
"It explains that the child, named Izumi, is a very rare water siren, a form of demon entrusted with guarding all rivers, streams, and oceans in Makai. The letter says that Izumi's home is under attack, and that her mother brought her here as a last resort. Apparently, the girl's 'ma-moot' is a powerful siren, and will try to defeat the evil oppressing her people. She wants us to protect Izumi while this is happening."  
  
"Awright!" Kuwabara shouted, "A new mission!"  
  
His sudden outburst startled Izumi, and a small giggle escaped her mouth. Immediately, the girls let out an exasperated "Awwww!"  
  
"Hey, look Kuwabara! Even two year olds recognize an idiot when they see one!" Yusuke's comment lightened the somber mood with laughter from all. All, that is, except one.  
  
"I think she likes you, Kazume!" Yukina chirped. Izumi grinned brightly, cooing and laughing along with her new friends. Kurama bent down to her, his soft eyes and warm smile catching Izumi's attention.  
  
"It also says that Izumi's favorite things to do are play games and swim. Her favorite food is shrimp and flounder, and her favorite place is the ocean." Her small hand reached out and touched Kurama's lips, as if telling him to hush. Stifled laughs came from among the group. Kurama himself laughed . . . until she grabbed a handful of his red hair.  
  
"Ow!" he exclaimed, jerking away from her reach. Izumi's auburn eyes began to moisten, obviously afraid of Kurama's reaction.  
  
"Kurama! Look what you've done!" Botan said as she picked up the child. All the girls crowded around her, scolding Kurama as they did.  
  
"Don't scare her like that!"  
  
"There, there, Izumi, he's just a big meanie!"  
  
"Are you okay, Izumi?"  
  
Koenma sniggered, "Looks like you're not as good with the ladies as you put on, Kurama!"  
  
Kurama looked hurt. "I'm sorry," was his small reply, disappointment caught in his voice.  
  
"Nah, don't worry 'bout it, Kurama." Yusuke said as he strode over to the girls. He gave Izumi a long stare, enough to make her look up at him in curiosity. Then, he proceeded in making all kinds of faces and imitations, earning laughter not only from Izumi, but from everybody else as well. Except that certain one, who slowly stood from his isolated chair in the corner. Izumi immediately fell silent, eyes intensely locked with the crimson ones staring back at her. The room became still.  
  
"I've had enough of this, this nonsense!" Hiei exclaimed, clenching his fists. His eyes narrowed as his sight rested on Izumi's small face.  
  
"If this truly is an assignment, consider me dead," he sneered at the child, "I am no babysitter." He began to walk away, glaring daggers at any who met his eyes.  
  
"Pheh, asshole," Shizuru muttered.  
  
"Hiei, stop this instant!" Koenma shouted, temper flaring, "If you walk out that door, then you walk out of your freedom!" Hiei stopped, growling lowly. He turned and faced the angry eyes of his so-called "friends." He rolled his eyes and sighed, brushing past them to return to his lone chair.  
  
"Aw, come on, shot-stuff! It ain't that bad!" Kuwabara huffed, shaking his head at Hiei's reaction.  
  
"Nah, man! It's the easiest case yet!" Yusuke assurance sounded manipulating.  
  
"Besides, you'll hardly be involved." Kurama said coldly, voice dripping with disgust. Hiei glared at his remark.  
  
"Let's hope that's true. If it were up to me, this child would have been killed," he said solemnly, intensifying his glare on Izumi, "a long time ago."  
  
"Oh! Don't be silly, Hiei!" Botan stated cheerfully, smiling happily at the little girl. "You couldn't hurt her if you tried, you big softie!"  
  
"Hn."  
  
However, Izumi could not take her eyes off of him. Her look wasn't one of fear or worry, just plain sadness. She kicked out of Botan's hold and clumsily walked towards Hiei, her sadness turning into merriment. Small arms stretched out to a confused Hiei as her giggles grew louder and louder.  
  
"Pow-pa!"  
  
Kurama busted out laughing. Hiei slowly backed away, eyes wide in terror.  
  
"What is she doing Kurama?"  
  
"She, hahahaa, thinks you're (wheeze) her father, Hiei!"  
  
Laughter could not be contained within the group, the expression on Hiei's face and jubilant "Pow-pa! Pow-pa!" adding on to their gale. Eventually, Izumi tripped and fell, tears whelming up in her deep brown eyes again.  
  
"Pow-pa?" she whimpered, confusion written on her face. Sympathy filled the hearts of every being in the room, save for one, who retreated to a different corner.  
  
"Awww, Hiei! Give her a hug!" The girls chimed in unison.  
  
"WHAT!?"  
  
"Go on, Hiei," Kurama urged, "she doesn't know any better."  
  
Reluctantly, Hiei stomped over to Izumi, snarling and baring his fangs in hope to frighten her. Instead, she smiled happily, clapping her hands together.  
  
"Pow-pa!" A sick feeling permeated through Hiei's stomach. Looking back, he received a stern look from his "audience," as if daring him NOT to hug her. He sighed again.  
  
"If it will shut you up . . ."  
  
He closed his eyes in abhorrence and embraced her slightly, squeals of delight evading Izumi's lips. Almost instantly, Hiei detached himself from her.  
  
"There!" he spat, "Don't ever ask me to do that again!" For the moment, the small girl was satisfied. Her only reply was a cute yawn, signifying her drowsiness.  
  
"Uh-oh! I think someone's sleepy!" Keiko said as she scooped Izumi up in her arms, "Where will she stay?"  
  
All looked to Koenma, who was apparently in deep thought.  
  
"The Spirit World is certainly no place for a 2 year old," he said, mainly to himself. Suddenly, his eyes shot open and he snapped his fingers.  
  
"I got it! I'll assign each one of you days to keep her on!" He jumped out of his seat and pointed to a large calendar hanging upon a wall.  
  
"Yusuke and Keiko, you can have her these days . . .let me see . . .Kuwabara, Yukina, and Shizuru, here's where you'll take her . . .hmm . . .ah! Kurama and Botan, both of you can have her on these dates," Koenma looked grimly at the jaganshi, "And Hiei, you WILL assist Kurama and Botan." Hiei began to protest.  
  
"I will -"  
  
"You WILL." 


	3. Windows and Rubber Balls

~Hiya everybody! Well, I finally got the next chapter up. Sorry it took so long, it's just that I didn't get a lot of reviews on this one. Oh well, I'll just finish it up and get it over with! Oh, I went back to my original style of writing. It's just easier that way, but I promise I'll pick back up the 'short-story' format in the last couple chapters. Okay, here we go! (By the way, doesn't Toonami SUCK?)  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho, so don't take away all my money! I'm broke!  
  
[At Keiko's house]  
  
The Rekai Tantei and friends were piled up in Keiko's room, watching Izumi play innocently with a rubber ball.  
  
Keiko: "Look how adorable she is!"  
  
Yukina: "Yes I know! So cute and sweet . . ."  
  
Kurama: (under his breath) " . . . until she yanks your hair out . . ."  
  
Izumi giggled happily, oblivious to the fact that she was being watched.  
  
Botan: "Such long, pretty hair she has! And those eyes!"  
  
Botan stroked Izumi's sapphire locks, watching her sepia eyes dart back and forth in pursuit of the ball.  
  
Yusuke: (yawning) "Yeah, yeah. She's gorgeous."  
  
Kuwabara: (to Yusuke) "I'll tell ya who's gorgeous . . .her mom!"  
  
Yusuke: "Woo-ha-hoo! Don't you know it!"  
  
Shizuru: "What are you talking 'bout over there, lil' bro?"  
  
Kuwabara: O.O! "Uh, n-nothing."  
  
Shizuru: "That's what I thought."  
  
Hiei pretended to ignore the events unfolding around him. Sitting on the window ledge, he stared out into the stream of the day's busy traffic. Kurama glanced over at him and smiled.  
  
Kurama: "Hiei, come and play with her!"  
  
Hiei: (glaring) "No."  
  
Botan: "Please Hiei? She really likes you!"  
  
The others looked at him as if noticing him for the first time. Izumi continued to play with her ball. Hiei returned to his inspection on the human world.  
  
Botan: "Hmph!"  
  
Keiko: "I don't see how he wouldn't want to play with her, as precious as she is."  
  
Yukina: "Yes, especially after calling him pow-pa."  
  
Her words stung Hiei, but outwardly he showed no sign of it.  
  
Kurama: (changing subject) "Well, I'm glad we were assigned this mission over the summer. It would have been hard to watch over her while attending school."  
  
Kuwabara: "I dunno, we probably coulda skipped school . . ."  
  
Yusuke: "Yeah, I see no problem with that."  
  
Kurama: T.T  
  
The ball rolled over to Kuwabara.  
  
Kuwabara: (grinning) "Here ya go, Izumi!" (tries to hand her the ball)  
  
Izumi squeaked and ran to Kurama, burying her face into his strong chest. Kuwabara looked heart-broken.  
  
Yusuke: "Ha-ha! Gawd, man! I didn't know you were THAT ugly!"  
  
Hiei fought back laughter. He actually felt a twinge of jealous over the fact that Izumi had run to Kurama instead of him, but he quickly brushed off that feeling. Kurama laughed and placed Izumi comfortably on his lap.  
  
Kurama: "Em peh gesi. Mer . . ." (points to Kuwabara)  
  
Izumi: "Mer?"  
  
Kurama nodded his head in agreement. The others gave him a questioning look.  
  
Kurama: "I explained to her that you are her friend, Kuwabara."  
  
Kuwabara: (grinning) "Ha! See Uremeshi? (hits Yusuke on the shoulder) Now she KNOWS I'm her friend!"  
  
Yusuke: "Pheh, whatever man. That still doesn't prove what she thinks of your face!"  
  
Kuwabara: (gritting teeth) "Why - you - stoopid . . ."  
  
Yusuke: "Whatcha gonna do, big stuff? Ya gonna hit me?"  
  
Kuwabara: "That's it!" (flies at Yusuke)  
  
Shizuru: "Knock it off, morons!" (joins in on fighting)  
  
Yukina: "Oh! Kazume! Please stop!" (tries to break up fighting)  
  
Meanwhile, another argument had started between Kurama, Botan, and Keiko.  
  
Keiko: " . . . I just don't think that we should speak to her in her native language . . ."  
  
Botan: "Wot? How do you think her mother would feel about that!?"  
  
Kurama: "Girls please! We can teach her both English and - "  
  
Keiko & Botan: "Kurama, shut-up!"  
  
Kurama: T.T;  
  
Their ramblings continued, completely neglecting a peeved Hiei and a curious Izumi. The 2-year old walked on unsteady legs towards the ball, which had rolled under Keiko's desk. Bending down to pick it up, her small head hit the side of the desk. She let out a small yelp, however no one heard her. Except for Hiei. He disregarded the incident as 'her problem, not mine' and continued his observation from the window. After a few seconds, though, he couldn't help but look at the poor child, who was clutching her head and rocking back and forth, tears standing in her eyes.  
  
Hiei: "Um, I think that - "  
  
Kuwabara: (not listening) "Hold still Uremeshi! I've been waitin' for this!"  
  
Yusuke: "Well, you'll just have to wait longer, 'cause you ain't gonna hit me!"  
  
Kuwabara: "Grrrr!"  
  
Shizuru: "Ca'mere, both of ya! I'll make sure I'll hit ya!"  
  
Yukina: "Oh dear! Please stop!"  
  
Hiei: " . . . um, could somebody . . ."  
  
Botan: (ignoring Hiei) "Just think about it! When she returns to her home, she'll have no idea what her people are saying to her!"  
  
Keiko: "Well, what are we supposed to do? Kurama's the only one who can speak her language!"  
  
Kurama: "How about we - "  
  
Keiko & Botan: (to Kurama) "SHUT - UP!"  
  
Kurama: T_T;  
  
Hiei's pleas fell on deaf ears as the arguing grew louder and louder. Little Izumi was trying hard not to cry, but was not succeeding. Hiei could no longer bear it; he had to take action. Going unnoticed, he stood in front of Izumi, hesitant on what he should do next. Sienna orbs, filled with tears, stared longfully into his ruby eyes. Sighing, he leaned over and picked her up, her small arms gripping his neck tightly. She whispered a scant "Pow - pa" into his ear, and laid her little head onto his muscular shoulder. Hiei panicked, but kept still. This action caught the attention of the others, who had stopped fighting.  
  
Botan: "H -Hiei . . . what are you DOING?"  
  
Hiei jerked his head up in surprise, not knowing he was being watched.  
  
Hiei: "Well, obviously I'm . . . er . . . she - "  
  
The group continued to stare in wonderment. Hiei scowled.  
  
Hiei: "She hit her head while you imbeciles were arguing. Hn, you didn't even notice; you were too absorbed in your childish disputes!"  
  
Yukina: *Gasp* "She did? Oh no!"  
  
Botan: "Poor thing! I feel just awful!" ( she looks away sadly)  
  
Keiko: "Thanks for watching her, Hiei. That was very kind!"  
  
Kurama: (thinking) and very unusual . . .  
  
Hiei: "Hn. Just get her off of me!"  
  
Yukina tried to pry Izumi off of Hiei, but she wouldn't budge.  
  
Yukina: "What's the matter Izumi? Don't you like me?"  
  
Botan walked over to her.  
  
Botan: "Come on Izumi! Let's play a game!"  
  
Still, Izumi showed no signs of moving. Kurama stretched out his arms.  
  
Kurama: "Yoo mer Kurama!"  
  
Izumi shook her head and nuzzled deeper into Hiei's shoulder. Hiei let out a sigh at the child's reluctance to leave him. He walked over to Keiko's bed and gently placed Izumi on the soft sheets. He began to turn away, but a whispered "Pow- pa" and a few whimpers kept him by her side. The group looked on in amazement.  
  
Kuwabara: (blinking) "Is Hiei sick or somethin'?"  
  
Yusuke: "I dunno. Maybe it's something he ate. . ."  
  
Kurama: (thinking) . . . or something he felt . . . 


End file.
